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Brain damage related to alcohol consumption is associated with impairments in cognitive functions, among which memory and verbal learning stand out. The main objective is to evaluate memory and verbal learning in a sample of 111 patients with alcohol use disorder (AUD) versus 78 with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 100 healthy controls. The evaluation included sociodemographic and clinical variables, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HDRS) and the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT). One-way ANOVA was used for comparisons between the 3 groups and two-way ANCOVAS including different covariates. The one-way ANOVA shows that patients with AUD and MDD had scores similar to each other and lower than those of the control group (p < 0.001), with the exception of the Cued CVLT (worse scores in MDD vs AUD, p < 0.001). After including age, sex and years of completed studies as covariates, the differences between the AUD and MDD groups persisted compared to the control group (p ≤ 0.003) in all indices except for the Immediate Free CVLT and the Cued CVLT (worse performance in MDD vs AUD, p = 0.022 and p = 0.035, respectively). In the second ANCOVA, after controlling for depression severity, differences were only detected between AUD patients and healthy controls (p ≤ 0.007). Patients with AUD present a significant impairment in learning and verbal memory when compared with patients with MDD and with healthy people.

OBJETIVO: comparar o desempenho de indivíduos com TDAH e grupo controle, em provas de fluência verbal, na faixa etária de 7 aos 12 anos, sem déficit cognitivo. MÉTODOS: foram avaliadas 22 crianças com TDAH e 34 do grupo controle, estudantes de escolas públicas no Estado do Rio de Janeiro. Aplicou-se uma prova de fluência verbal, subdividida em avaliação da fluência fonológica e semântica, sendo utilizada a letra F na prova fonológica e a categoria Animais na prova semântica. Os testes de fluência verbal avaliam o número de palavras produzidas espontaneamente, de forma oral, no período de um minuto. Foram criados quatro intervalos de tempo de 15 segundos procurando estabelecer relação de palavras ditas em cada intervalo por cada grupo. Os participantes foram divididos por idade para facilitar a análise dos resultados. RESULTADOS: não houve diferença relevante entre os sexos. As médias de palavras nas provas fonológica e semântica foram comparadas. Os resultados da prova fonológica foram inferiores aos da semântica, tanto no grupo com TDAH, quanto no grupo controle. Verificou-se, entretanto que os grupos com TDAH e controle apresentaram valores similares nas provas semântica e fonológica, porém com períodos de latência diferentes. CONCLUSÃO: os desempenhos de indivíduos com TDAH em provas de fluência verbal fonológica e semântica foram similares aos do grupo controle, e os resultados superiores ocorreram na prova semântica quando comparados com a prova fonológica em ambos os grupos.PURPOSE: to compare the performances of individuals with ADHD and control group, in verbal fluency tests, from 7 to 12 years, without cognitive deficit. METHODS: 22 children with ADHD and 34 control group had been evaluated, students of a public school in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A verbal fluency test was applied, subdivided in evaluation of the phonological fluency, using the letter F and semantics, using Animal category in the semantic test. The verbal fluency tests evaluate the number of verballyproduced words, in just one minute period. Four intervals of 15 seconds had been created looking for setting up the relation of words said in each interval for each group. The participants had been divided by age to make easier the analysis of the results. RESULTS: no difference between genders was found. The average number of words in phonological and semantics tests had been compared. The performance of the phonological test had been lower than semantics in both groups. The ADHD group presented similar results to the control group in both tests, but with different latency periods. CONCLUSION: the performances of ADHD in phonological verbal fluency and semantics had been similar to the control group, and the higher results had occurred in the semantics tests in both groups.

OBJETIVO: verificar a aprendizagem verbal em indivíduos normais submetidos ao teste de fluência verbal, considerando idade, nível de escolaridade e sexo. MÉTODOS: indivíduos de 40 a 80 anos de idade, submetidos aos testes de fluência verbal semântica e fonológica, geradas em 1 minuto, realizado em dois momentos em 24 horas. RESULTADOS: na análise longitudinal dos dados obtidos na prova semântica (1º dia versus 2º dia) o G1 apresentou aprendizagem verbal em todos os níveis de escolaridade, com exceção de 9 a 12 anos. No G2 observou-se significância no nível de 0 a 4 anos de escolaridade. Na prova fonológica observou-se aprendizagem verbal no G1 para todos os níveis de escolaridade, exceto de 9 a 12 anos. E no G2 foi significante no nível de 5 a 8 anos de escolaridade. Na análise transversal dos dados (G1 versus G2) não foram encontrados resultados significantes na prova semântica e na fonológica observou-se significância apenas no 2º dia nos sujeitos de 0 a 4 anos de escolaridade. Na comparação entre os sexos para todas as combinações de grupo e dia na prova semântica o G1 apresentou dados significantes tanto no 1º quanto no 2º dia. CONCLUSÃO: verificou-se a ocorrência da aprendizagem verbal mais nos adultos que nos idosos em ambas as provas. Porém na comparação entre os grupos não foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significantes, mas observou-se decréscimo na produção de palavras com o aumento da idade e diminuição do nível de escolaridade. Na comparação entre os sexos verificou-se melhor desempenho dos homens na prova semântica.PURPOSE: to check verbal learning in normal subjects submitted to a verbal fluency test, considering age, schooling and sex. METHODS: 200 subjects, from 40 to 80-year old, submitted to a semantic and phonologic verbal fluency test, 1 minute long, taking place twice in a 24 hours period. RESULTS: after longitudinal analysis of the data obtained from the semantic test (1st day versus 2nd day) G1 indicated verbal learning in all schooling levels, except from 9 to 12 years of schooling. For G2 the level from 0 to 4 years of schooling was significant. In phonologic test G1 indicated verbal learning in all schooling levels, except from 9 to 12 years of schooling. And for G2, the level from 5 to 8 years of schooling was significant. Transversal analysis of the data (G1 versus G2) indicated no significant semantic test results and considering the phonologic test, just the second day was significant, observing the subjects from 0 to 4 years of schooling. Comparing both genders, among all groups and combinations of days, considering the semantic test, G1 gave evidence of significant data during the first and the second day. CONCLUSION: both tests attest that verbal learning was more effective for adults than for elderly people. However, there were no significant statistical differences among all groups, except from a decrease in words creation as long as age increased and schooling decreased. By comparing both genders, men performance improved in the semantic test.

El desarrollo de las habilidades comunicativas orales es uno de los objetivos fundamentales en la enseñanza de idiomas. Esta es de vital importancia para la inserción interactiva del hombre en el mundo de hoy. Por ello hemos valorado en el mismo elementos teóricos sobre el desarrollo de la habilidad oral en la enseñanza de dicha lengua extranjera, e hicimos énfasis en la necesidad de que los profesores interioricen la importancia de planificar como parte de nuestras actividades, tareas que estimulen el desarrollo de la misma mediante la participación de los alumnos en las clases, que se conviertan en verdaderos entes activos de ella y hacedores de su propio conocimiento. Utilizamos como variables técnicas tales como: Tormenta de ideas, narración, predicción y otras vías, para un mayor uso del idioma; y fueron utilizadas en el 100% de los grupos de enfermería y medicina de ambas carreras, explorando dichos resultados a través de encuestas elaboradas con ese fin. Se concluyó que estas actividades interactivas posibilitan que el 100% de los alumnos desarrollen la habilidad oral. Por ello se analizaron una serie de posibilidades en cuanto a este tipo de actividades que se puedan desarrollar en el aula y que requieran de la activa participación de los estudiantes.The development of oral communicative skills is one of the main objectives in teaching foreign languages. It plays a significant role for the interactive insertion of man in today's world, thus some theoretical aspects have been assessed, taking into account the development of oral skills in the teaching of the English language. Teachers need to be informed, putting emphasis on planning tasks which encourage the development of this skill through the participation of students in English classrooms, and to make them actively involved individuals and doers of their own knowledge. Technical strategies used were: brain storming ideas, narrations, predictions and others, to enhance the use of the foreign language. These strategies were used in 100% of both medical and nursery groups, exploring results obtained through surveys for this purpose. Concluding that these interactive activities make possible the development of oral skill in 100% of the students. For this, a series of possibilities to perform these kind of tasks in English clasrooms were analyzed to elicit students' talk.

Introduction: The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-revised (HVLT-R) was originally created with the objective of providing a short verbal memory and learning test with six alternative forms that allow the re-administration., Aim: To obtain normative and standardized data for the HVLT-R taking into account the sociodemographic characteristics of the current Spanish population., Subjects and Methods: The study is part of the Normacog Project. Seven hundred participants (18 to 90 years old) were assessed. The effect of age, level of education and gender on the performance of HVLT-R were analyzed, and percentiles and scalar scores adjusted by age and level of education were created., Results: A significant effect of age and educational level on the analyzed variables of the test was observed, explaining from 15% to 29% of the variance (trial 1, total recall, trial 4, discrimination index). As expected, the older and less educated obtained lower performance in all the analyzed variables of the HVLT-R. However, sex only had a significant effect on the variables trial 1, total recall and discrimination index., Conclusion: This study provides standardized and normalized data for the HVLT-R for the Spanish population, offering current norms to clinicians and researchers. The results confirm the influence of age and level of education on all the indicators of the test, so normative data are provided to correct the HVLT-R taking into account these characteristics.

Introduction: The evaluation of memory has increased relevance because of the place occupied by its alterations in neuropsychological syndromes of wide prevalence. The TAVEC evaluates strategies and processes involved in learning and remembering of verbal material., Objective: Generate normative data of the TAVEC for the adult population of Córdoba (Argentina) with high level of instruction., Subjects and Methods: 260 subjects aged between 25 and 88 years and with 12 or more years of education were selected. The influence of sex, age and educational level was analysed and statistics of mean and standard deviation were calculated., Results: Statistically significant relationships were found between age and TAVEC sub test. No interactions were found with sex. Statistically significant relationships were seen for education only for variables of perseveration and discrimination index. Normative tables were stratified by age, and years of instruction in case necessary, with mean values and standard deviation for each subtest., Conclusion: Until this research, there have been no normative studies of the TAVEC in the Argentine population. The present standardization would be a valid parameter in neurocognitive evaluation processes of adults with high level of instruction.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi testar a eficiência de procedimentos de treino em leitura crítica e leitura criativa. Ainda foi o de verificar a generalização do treino de leitura crítica para a motivação, compreensão e leitura criativa. Também foi verificado a generalização do treino de leitura criativa para a motivação, compreensão leitura crítica. Os dados obtidos demonstraram a eficiência dos treinos oferecidos. Quanto à generalização, pode-se dizer que o grupo submetido ao treino de criticidade conduziu a produção de criatividade textual. Todavia, o procedimento de treino de criatividade textual não afetou o comportamento de criticidade textual. Finalmente, pode-se concluir que a variável modalidade de treino não controlou a produção dos comportamentos de compreensão e motivação de leitura.

O conceito 'fazer na cabeça' na linguagem cotidiana indica que seu uso: I) é metafórico; II) negativo, pois indica que certos comportamentos deixam de ocorrer; e III) não caracteriza necessariamente atividades 'mentais'. As teorias psicológicas têm interpretado o conceito positivamente, como se este indicasse que alguma coisa ocorre, só que em outro lugar ou de outra forma. Propõe-se que o conceito seja interpretado negativamente, através da investigação das condições necessárias e suficientes para a diminuição de 'respostas intermediárias'. Os resultados de três experimentos demonstram que as respostas intermediárias diminuem, de maneira ordenada, com o aumento de tentativas. Os conceitos de 'redução no atraso de reforço', 'transferência de estímulo' e 'níveis de respostas' são sugeridos para explicar a diminuição de respostas intermediárias.

Aims: To perform an in-depth examination of the construct validity and the ecological validity of the Wechsler Memory Scale-III (WMS-III) and the Spain-Complutense Verbal Learning Test (TAVEC)., Patients and Methods: The sample consists of 106 adults with acquired brain injury who were treated in the Area of Neuropsychology and Neuropsychiatry of the Complejo Hospitalario de Navarra and displayed memory deficit as the main sequela, measured by means of specific memory tests. The construct validity is determined by examining the tasks required in each test over the basic theoretical models, comparing the performance according to the parameters offered by the tests, contrasting the severity indices of each test and analysing their convergence. The external validity is explored through the correlation between the tests and by using regression models., Results: According to the results obtained, both the WMS-III and the TAVEC have construct validity. The TAVEC is more sensitive and captures not only the deficits in mnemonic consolidation, but also in the executive functions involved in memory. The working memory index of the WMS-III is useful for predicting the return to work at two years after the acquired brain injury, but none of the instruments anticipates the disability and dependence at least six months after the injury., Conclusion: We reflect upon the construct validity of the tests and their insufficient capacity to predict functionality when the sequelae become chronic.

Introduction: Interpretation of the performance on cognitive tests for neuropsychological assessment in multiple sclerosis (MS) differs according to the educational level of the examinee., Aims: To provide normative data for the Brief Neuropsychological Battery (BNB) for MS stratified by age and education, as well as to demonstrate the utility of the battery for discriminating between healthy controls and patients with MS., Subjects and Methods: Data from 701 healthy volunteers from the original normative sample were stratified by age and education using regression analyses of standard scores. Performance of the healthy control group was compared to a group of 112 patients with MS., Results: Significant differences on the BNB were found between groups, mainly in tasks of information processing speed, working memory and verbal memory. Age and sex variables did not have a significant effect on the results., Conclusions: Our data indicate that the BNB for MS is sensitive for identifying cognitive impairments in MS, specifically in tasks measuring working memory.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a programme based on a virtual reality game to improve cognitive domains in patients with schizophrenia., Method: A randomized controlled trial was conducted in 40 patients with schizophrenia, 20 in the experimental group and 20 in the control group. The experimental group received 10 sessions with Nintendo Wii(®) for 5 weeks, 50 minutes/session, 2 days/week in addition to conventional treatment. The control group received conventional treatment only., Results: Statistically significant differences in the T-Score were found in 5 of the 6 cognitive domains assessed: processing speed (F=12.04, p=0.001), attention/vigilance (F=12.75, p=0.001), working memory (F=18.86, p <0.01), verbal learning (F=7.6, p=0.009), visual learning (F=3.6, p=0.064), and reasoning and problem solving (F=11.08, p=0.002)., Conclusions: Participation in virtual reality interventions aimed at cognitive training have great potential for significant gains in different cognitive domains assessed in patients with schizophrenia., (Copyright © 2015 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: the aim of this study is to test the encoding deficit hypothesis in Alzheimer disease (AD) using a recent method for correcting memory tests. To this end, a Spanish-language adaptation of the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test was interpreted using the Item Specific Deficit Approach (ISDA), which provides three indices: Encoding Deficit Index, Consolidation Deficit Index, and Retrieval Deficit Index., Methods: We compared the performances of 15 patients with AD and 20 healthy control subjects and analysed results using either the task instructions or the ISDA approach., Results: patients with AD displayed deficient encoding of more than half the information, but items that were encoded properly could be retrieved later with the help of the same semantic clues provided individually during encoding. Virtually all the information retained over the long-term was retrieved by using semantic clues. Encoding was shown to be the most impaired process, followed by retrieval and consolidation. Discriminant function analyses showed that ISDA indices are more sensitive and specific for detecting memory impairments in AD than are raw scores., Conclusions: These results indicate that patients with AD present impaired information encoding, but they benefit from semantic hints that help them recover previously learned information. This should be taken into account for intervention techniques focusing on memory impairments in AD., (Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: The Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure (ROCF) and the Free and Cued Selective Reminding Test (FCSRT) are widely used in clinical practice. The ROCF assesses visual perception, constructional praxis, and visuo-spatial memory. The FCSRT assesses verbal learning and memory., Objective: In this study, as part of the Spanish normative studies project in young adults (NEURONORMA young adults), we present age- and education-adjusted normative data for both tests obtained by using linear regression techniques., Material and Methods: The sample consisted of 179 healthy participants ranging in age from 18 to 49 years. We provide tables for converting raw scores to scaled scores in addition to tables with scores adjusted by socio-demographic factors., Results: The results showed that education affects scores for some of the memory tests and the figure-copying task. Age was only found to have an effect on the performance of visuo-spatial memory tests, and the effect of sex was negligible., Conclusions: The normative data obtained will be extremely useful in the clinical neuropsychological evaluation of young Spanish adults., (Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Cognitive decline is related to different kind of biopsychosocial variables in the elderly. AIM. To identify which cognitive variables are important to differentiate between healthy elderly people and elderly people with cognitive impairment in order to propose a brief screening assessment for cognitive impairment in which education is not relevant., Subjects and Methods: 264 subjects were divided into two groups taking into account the cutoff point 23/24 in the MEC, and all of them were assessed in cognitive functioning, sustained attention, cognitive plasticity, working memory, and verbal fluency., Results: Discriminant analysis showed that the cognitive variables which best explain cognitive impairment were verbal fluency, sustained attention and cognitive plasticity. The area under the ROC curve for the verbal fluency task was 0.811 and for the sustained attention task was 0.777. A cutoff point with 10 words in the verbal fluency task showed a sensitivity of 74% and a specificity of 80% for healthy elderly people, while a cutoff point with 33 correct answers in the sustained attention task showed a sensitivity of 68.4% and a specificity of 68.6% for the same group., Conclusions: These findings suggest that a high performance on verbal fluency and sustained attention protect against cognitive impairment in the elderly so that verbal fluency and sustained attention tasks are good tests for cognitive impairment screening purposes.

The main purpose of this study was to analyze the effects of computer-assisted practice on reading and spelling in children with learning disabilities (LD). We compared three practice conditions, one with reading and two with spelling, in order to test whether computer-based reading and spelling practice has an influence on the development of reading and spelling ability in children with LD. A sample was selected of 85 children with LD, with age range between 8 years and 10 years (age, M=111.02, SD=9.6), whose spelling performance was two years below grade level. The participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: 1) Copy the target word from the computer screen (n=22), 2) Memorize the target word and write it from memory (n=21), 3) Word reading (n=21), and 4) the untrained control group (n=21). We administered measures of pseudoword reading, phonological awareness, phonological word decoding and orthographical word decoding tasks. We examined the learning effects and transfer effects on words classified as a function of length, consistency, and complexity of syllable structure. Overall, the results showed that reading training did not improve spelling; however, the children who participated in the copy training condition improved their spelling skills.

Although episodic memory deficit in patients with multiple sclerosis (ME) is a well established fact, there is no agreement about the origin of this disorder in terms of cognitive processes. Whereas most of the studies attribute this deficit to defects in memory recovery processes, others contribute evidence in favor of the hypothesis that considers that it originates in difficulties in coding memory processes.However, the analysis of the relationship between coding processes and memory functioning in ME is a scantly studied topic. In the present article, we studied coding processes and their relationships with executive control processes in a group of patients with ME. We used a set of indexes of the Test of Verbal Learning from the TAVEC test for the evaluation of the coding processes. To assess the executive processes we used a semantic verbal fluency task, the WCST, and WAIS III scale of matrixes. We worked with 36 patients with ME diagnosis and 36 healthy control participants, paired by age and educational level. The results showed a deficit in the coding processes and the existence of a significant association between these processes and executive functioning.

Mathematical abilities and executive function in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities in mathematics. Even though 26% of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show a specific mathematic learning difficulty (MLD), the studies have been scarce. The present study had the following goals: 1) to study the profile related to cognitive and metacognitive skills implied in calculation and problem-solving in children with ADHD+MLD, and to compare them in children with ADHD, children with MLD, and children without problems; 2) to study the severity of the deficit in executive function (EF) in children with ADHD+MLD. Comparing the groups MLD, ADHD, ADHD+MLD, and children without problems, the results highlighted that children with ADHD+MLD showed a cognitive and metacognitive deficit in mathematic achievement. Furthermore, results showed a more severe deficit in the EF in children with ADHD+MLD.

Aim: Longitudinal study of verbal learning and memory processes after traumatic brain injury (TBI)., Patients and Methods: Twenty-six patients who had sustained a moderate-severe TBI were assessed with a Spanish version of the California Verbal Learning Test at the time of admission and 6-months after inclusion in a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program that comprised rehabilitation strategies for memory impairments. Global memory indexes were determined, including retroactive interference, proactive interference and recall indexes controlled for level of verbal acquisition. Memory change over time was correlated to demographic and clinical relevant variables, including the level of patients' self-awareness., Results: More than 75% of our patients presented learning, immediate memory and delayed memory deficits at baseline, with an important effect of retroactive interference (69%). At 6-month follow-up, 34.6% showed learning difficulties, 46.2% immediate memory deficits, and 53% delayed memory problems, with 34.6% of the patients showing retroactive interference. Chronicity, level of self-awareness and premorbid intelligence correlated to the degree of memory change over time., Conclusions: Prominent verbal memory problems developed, not only during the first months after TBI but also over time are mostly due to impaired consolidation related to an intense retroactive interference. These data should be considered when developing memory rehabilitation strategies.

Introduction: Psychometric studies with this confrontation- naming test have not been reported in Spanish speakers., Objectives: To study the internal consistency (N = 304), test-retest (N = 33) and inter-scorer (N = 37) reliability on healthy subjects. To study the concurrent validity (preliminary data) in 46 patients with unilateral brain lesions (left: 18, right: 28) including healthy subjects (N = 101), and in 28 patients referred for suspected dementia., Material: the test was based initially on the nouns used by Oldfield and Wingfield in English. Data were obtained from consecutive patients and healthy volunteers. Lateral lesions were confirmed by neuroimages and surgery. The three groups of the validity study with lateral lesions were matched by gender, age, education and manual preference. Both groups of the dementia validity study were matched by gender, age, education and presence of vascular lesion. Patients who scored < 24 points in the mini- mental test and>9 points in the Blessed behavioral rating scale were operationally defined as patients with dementia (N=15)., Statistical Analysis: For reliability studies: Cronbach's alpha, Pearson and intraclass correlation coefficients were used. Differences between scorers and between tests were analyzed by dependent sample Student's t tests. For the validity study with lateral lesions, ANOVA was employed. For the dementia validity study: independent sample Student's t test was used., Results: All reliability coefficients were > 0.82 without differences in the t tests between scorers and tests. Validity was verified by the significant differences obtained between all the pairs of groups analyzed., Discussion: The test demonstrated a suitable validity and reliability.

In languages with a deep orthography such as English, a number of studies have shown the effects of lexical and semantic variables on word recognition. In languages with a shallow orthography such as Spanish the regularity of the grapheme - phoneme correspondences may mean that lexical and semantic variables could have less relevant roles. In this study, three variables were tested: frequency, age of acquisition and imageability. These three variables were factorially manipulated in three lexical decision task and three word naming tasks. The results show that in lexical decision both frequency and age of acquisition influence reaction times but imageability was not significant. In the word reading task, only the age of acquisition had a significant effect. The implications of these results for models of reading in Spanish are discussed.

Previous papers have mainly demonstrated the presence of cognitive impairment in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), these changes have been traditionally associated with the later stages of the disease. In the current study, a comprehensive neuropsychological battery was administered to 216 relapsing-remitting MS patients with mild clinical disability (EDSS

In this study, ROC and z-ROC parameters are applied in word recognition memory, with words classified according to frequency and class. In doing so, unbiased techniques can be used to assess hits and false alarms and to obtain standardized distributions for each experimental condition. Our results confirm the existence of differences in word recognition memory for experimental exposition time, type of words and other pre-experimental effects. These data are consistent with familiarity and recollection models when words' frequency is used, and with familiarity, recollection and dual-route models when words are organized according to class. Finally, we argue in favour of an interactive processing model (words organized according to frequency) versus a processing model nearer to modularity (words organized according to class).

Aim: This article presents an updated review about the definition, diagnostic criteria, classifications, etiology and the evolution of the specific language impairment (SLI)., Development: The specific language impairment is characterized by a developmental language delay and an impaired language, that persist over time and it is not explained by sensorial, motor and mental disabilities, neither by psycopathological disorders, socio-emotional deprivation, nor brain injury. The diagnosis is based on exclusional criteria. Some researchers propose different classifications considering the children performance in language comprehension and language production. Genetical linkage to the FOXP2 gen in the SPCH1 region of the chromosome 7 and to the chromosomes 13, 16 y 19 has been reported. The neuroimage studies have shown alterations in the volume and perfusion of some brain structures related to language. The manifestations of SLI may change during the development of the children and may disturb the self-esteem, the academic performance and the social abilities., Conclusions: The variability in the linguistic and cognitive performance, and the variety in the etiological findings in children with SLI, don't allow to settle the affected population as an homogeneous group. Different theoretical positions have emerged as a consequence of this condition.

Introduction: We present a comparative study (sensitivity and convergent validity) between a new verbal memory test Complutense Verbal Learning Test (TAVEC) and the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMSr) in a sample of patients with acquired brain injury., Patients and Methods: Twenty-eight patients with acquired brain injury were included in this study. Twelve patients were reevaluated six months after their inclusion in a cognitive multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. All patients were assessed with the WMSr (verbal memory, general memory and long-term memory) and the TAVEC (verbal learning, immediate memory and delayed memory). Results obtained with both scales were compared (chi-square) and correlated (Pearson correlation)., Results: Globally, learning and memory deficits were detected with both scales. Initially 32.1 % of our sample showed general memory deficits, and 44.4 % long-term memory deficits when assessed with WMSr. These percentages were significantly lower compared to the 57.1 %, 75 % and 78.5 % of our sample who showed learning, recent memory and delayed memory difficulties when evaluated with the TAVEC. The results obtained by the 12 patients included in a cognitive rehabilitation program significantly improved. Numerous strong correlations between the TAVEC and the WMSr were found, suggesting a high degree of convergence between the two instruments., Conclusions: The TAVEC is a sensitive measure of learning and memory after acquired brain injury. Due to its sensitivity, ecological value and multifactorial structure we recommend this test for the evaluation of learning and memory of these patients.

Introduction: Temporal lobectomy (TL) is an effective treatment for drug refractory temporal lobe epilepsy. The main neuropsychological consequences of the intervention are changes in episodic and semantic memory. Aim. To study the consequences of right temporal lobectomy (RTL) and left temporal lobectomy (LTL) on episodic and semantic mnemonic functioning., Patients and Method: 27 patients who had undergone TL in the Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves in Granada were submitted to pre and post surgical evaluation by means of a battery of neuropsychological tests that included episodic and semantic memory tests for both verbal and visual material., Results and Conclusions: ANOVA analysis was employed to analyse the pre and post surgical changes for the whole group of patients, and Student s t and Wilcoxon s non parametric test were used for each group of RTL and LTL. No deterioration was found in ipsilateral memory after the intervention, that is to say, in the verbal memory of the patients submitted to LTL and in the visual memory of RTL patients. With regard to contralateral memory, that is, the visual memory of patients submitted to LTL and the verbal memory of RTL patients, the ANOVA analyses of the whole group revealed a statistically significant improvement. The analyses performed for the whole group (LTL and RTL), however, did not reveal any statistically significant changes.

Background: "Word-stem completion paradigm" has been used in many experimental and clinical studies to evaluate the verbal priming effect inpatients with dementia. Different studies using this tests with Alzheimer disease (AD) patients produced contradictory findings., Aims: To study the effect of latency in the presentation of stimuli in the word-stem completion paradigm in words self-generated by patients with AD and to compare these results with those of a healthy control group., Subjects and Methods: The sample consisted of 30 AD patients (DSM-IV y NINCDS-ADRA criteria) and 30 healthy control subjects (CS). Two stimulus generation conditions were applied: without latency (NL) and with five minutes latency (5'L)., Results: The verbal priming effect in the NL conditions was maintained in both groups, whilst in the condition 5'L a reduction was observed in the AD patient group., Conclusion: A 5'L and self generation of stimuli are two factors of clinical interest in the study of the verbal priming effect in AD.

This study analyzes the results obtained in the child from an application of the Token Test of the De Renzi and Vignolo and compares them with those obtained from the application of a similar Test, in which objects of more familiar semantic field were employed. Normal children ranking from 4 years 0 month to 8 years 11 months were studied for this purpose.